VARIETY OF WORK.

Masamune was a most skillful swordsmith, and his work is found in great variety. This is true, also, of Yukimitsu and Bizen Nagamori, etc. Their work, classified as ' straight edge,' sometimes has ' midare' or ' hitatsura,' while those classified as ' midare edge' occasionally have the straight edge, etc. There are secrets concerning their structure and welded edge, which, however, are not admitted by all men. Here we give the list of the varieties:
Yoshimitsu (small midare)                                                                     Notsugu (straight)
Kuniyoshi (straight)                                                                                Tadatsugu (straight)
Masamune (make bent, straight)                                                       Rai Kunitsugu (straight)
Go Yoshihiro (both bent and straight)                                      Kunitoshi (straight)
Sadamune (straight)                                                                               Nobunaga (straight)
                                                                                                                             Fugishima (straight)
Hiromitsu (both bent and straight)                                               Chiyozuru (straight)
                                                                                                                             Muramasa (straight)
Akihiro (both bent and straight)                                                     Masatsune (straight)
Shizu (both bent and straight)                                                         Mitsutada (wide straight)
                                                                                                                             Tomomitsu (straight)
Kaneshige (straight)                                                                                Yoshimitsu (straight)
Tsunetsugu (straight)                                                                            Shigesane (straight)
Nagayoshi (straight)                                                                               Tochika (straight)
Motomitsu (straight)
Motoshigi (straight)                                                                                 Unji (straight)
Chikakage (straight)                                                                                Yoshi class (straight)
Yoshikage (straight)                                                                                 Mitsukane (small make)
Kagemasa (straight)                                                                                  Miike (midare)
Ichimoji (straight)                                                                                          Kongobyoye (midare)
Yoshioka (small midare)                                                                            Kagenage (midare).
Despite the number of varieties just enumerated, it is necessary to trace each characteristic.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE WELDED EDGE.

Straight edge, the iron beautifully boiled, and very fine.

Artists: Yoshimitsu, Shintogo. Kuniyoshi, Mitsukani.
Kyo Class—Artists: Munechika, Hisakuni, Norikuni, Kunitomo Arikuni, Kunimitsu, Rai Kuniyuki, Rai Kunimitsu, Rai Kunitsugu, Rai Kunitoshi, Ryokai. Nobukuni, Yoshinori, Hasebe.
Yamato Class—Artists: Taema, Aritoshi, Shenjuin, Yasumasa, Kanenaga, Kanenori, Kaneuji. Tenkai, Shirikake, Kanefusa.
Bizen Class—Artists: Yoshitomo, Sanenaga, Nagamitsu, Unjo, Unju, Kagemitsu, Yoshimitsu, Kanemitsu, Masamitsu, Moromitsu, Morikage.
Later Bizen Class—Artists: Tadamitsu. Norimitsu, Sukuada, Kiyoniitsu, Morimitsu, Kisamitsu, Getsusan, Tekai, Kagashiro, Fuyuhiro, Sanekage, Iruka, Kunitsugu, Kagenage, Michihiru, Namihiru.

Great oblique file and round head.

Artists: Hisakuni, Kuniyasu. Arikuni. Sadatoshi, Yoshikane. Nori mune, Yoshifusa, Nobufusa, Yukihide, Kagehide, Sukekuni, Unji, Unju, Masatsune.
Katayama Class—Artists: Sairen, Jitaua, Sa, Yasukichi. Yosbisada. Later Miike, Ohara Sanemori, Tadasada, Chiyozuru, Iruka, Sanet sugu, Yukihira.

Great oblique file, with hammer marks.

Artists: Yokihura, Sadahide, Yukimitsu, Yamanouchi Kunitsuna, Kanenji, Norishige, Sa, Sa Kunihiro, Sairen. Jitsua, Miike, Enju, Aoe, Kaneshige, Sanekage, Akikuni, Sadasue, Chiyozuru, Nakazina Rai, Hoshojo. Utsu, Shimadu, Hoju, Kagenaga. Mihara. Fuyuhiro, Yoshimitsu, Kaifu, Hiromitsu, Nobunaga, Nio, Iruka, Kumitsugu, Namihira, Michinaga, Tatsufusa, Kagashiro, Kiyomitsu, Takata, Kongobyoye, Oishimono, Seki, and others.

Straight edge, called "Ayasugi" skin.

Artists: Getsusan, Momokawa Nagayoshi, Momokawa Tsuguyoshi, Jumyo, Fuyuhiro, Namihira. and "Yamato'- class generally.

Straight edge, combined with small midare.

Artists: Jen jo Kaneyoshi, Namihira, Kongobyoye, Kagenaga, Utsu, Nio.

Straight edge, combined with small midare, and having deep ' nioi' and fine ' nie' characteristic of Bizen class.

Artists: Sukehira, Kanehira, Yoshikane, Tomonari, Yukihide, Sukekuni, Yoshimochi, Koresuke, Unji, Unju.
Artists: Hisakuni, Kuniyasu, Kunikiyo. Yoshiiye, Rai Kuniyuki, Kunitoshi, Yukihira, Sadahide, Masatsune, Yasutsuna, Sanemori, Enju, Sairen, Miike, Tamitsugu, Yoshihisa.

Straight edge, combined with small midare, nie; found in Yamato class.

Artists: Senjuin, Kanehira, Tenkai, Shirikahe, Yasumasa. Senjuin, Rai Kunimitsu, Nakajima Rai, Nagamitsu, Kageyasu, Yoshii, Utsu, Shimada, Kagenaga, Getsusan, Namihira, Takata, Kaiuiikara, Ichijo.

Straight edge, combined with the ' reverse midare;' Bizen characteristic.

Artists: Tomonari, Yukihide, Sanenaga, Shigizane, Kanemitsu, Kagemitsu. Kagemasa, Sanemori. Moromitsu, Chikakage, Motoshige, Unjo. Yasumitsu, Aoye, Matsune, Mihara, Tatsufusa.

Straight edge, having rats' feet (i. e. small feet).

Artists: Rai Kunimitsu, Ryokai, Sukekane, Unsho, Unji, Unju, Aoye, Takata, Michinaga. Namihira.

Reverse midare, with deep 'nioi' and slight 'nie' characteristic of Bizen.

Artists: Yukihide, Masatsune. Ichimoji, Ichimoji Yoshioka, Yoshifusa, Kagehide, Hidemitsu, Sukeyoshi, Sukemitsu, Sanemori, Nagayoshi. Aoye, Katayama, Sadatsuna, Chiyazuru.

Reverse midare.

Artists: Motoshige, Katayama: and others who made a large reverse Midare.

Nokogiri midare of Bizen class.

Artists: Kanemitsu, Yoshimitsu, Kagemitsu, Kagemasa, Hidemitsu, Yoshikage, Masamitsu, Motomitsu, Motomasa.

Nokogiri midare, combined with Notare of Bizen class.

Artists: Kanemitsu, Kanenaga, Yoshimitsu, Tomomitsu, Hidemitsu, Yoshikage, Moromitsu, Masamitsu, Motomitsu, Motomasa.

Notare, slight nie; characteristic of Bizen.

Artists: Tomomitsu, Hidemitsu, Kanemitsu, Kanenaga, Nagayoshi, Morikage, Tomonari.
Kyo Class—Artists: Munechika, Yoshiiye, Norikuni, Rai Kuniyuki, Heianjo. Yasutsuna, Kunisuke, Kunitsuna, Yoshisada, Nakajima Rai, Kane- tomo, Shimada, Kaifu, Fuyuhiro, Jumio.

Notare midare, with nie, sunagashi, lightening, etc.

Artists: Yoshihiro, Masamune, Sadamune, Rai Kunimitsu, Yukimitsu, Sa, Shizu, Nobukuni, Norishige, Rai Kunitsugu, Tomokuni, Naotsuua.

Notare midare, nie; fine specimens also occur among the works of Masamune and Sadamune, etc.

Artists: Nagayoshi, Kanenaga, Yoshikage, Morikage, Kunihiro, Sanekage, Shimada, Kaifu, Kanesada, Sukesada.

Notare midare, nie, and has deep 'nioi,' 'lightening,' sunagashi, etc.; also occurring in the works of Sashizu, Nokishige, Rai Kunimitsu, etc.

Artists: Go Yoshihiro, Sadamune, Masamune, etc.

Hitatsura, some nie, others not.

Artists: Sa Kunihiro, Akihiro, Hiromitsu, Later Sagami class, Hasebe, Seki, Shimada, Ichijo, Tomo, Michinaga, Utsu Yukimitsu, Nagayoshij Kadokuni, Heisujo, Yoshinori, Kunitsugu.

Sanbousugi (three cryptomeria trees), little nie; the margin of the edge is clear.

Artists: Kanemoto, Seki.

Gunome midare, slight nie.

Artists: Yoshii, Michinaga, Kanenobu. Seki.

Gunome midare, nie.

Bizen Class—Artists: Tomomitsu, Masamitsu, Motomitsu, Motomasa.
Later Bizen works: Sanekage, Akikuni, Miike, Hoju, Kagenaga.
Iwami class: Utsu, Ichijo, Yomoe, Goami, Tatsufusa, Takata, Fujishima, Nobunaga, Fuyuhiro, Nio, Seki, Aishi.

Gunome midare, with deep 'nioi'; and woody texture, nie on the edge and body.

Bizen Class—Artists: Moremitsu, Yasumitsu, Morikage, Iesuke, and others of the Bizen class before the era of Oei.

Gunome midare, combined with the ' feet,' and with scanty 'nioi.'

Bizen Class—Artists: Sukesada, Katsumitsu, Kiyomitsu, Munemitsu, Norimitsu (I), Norimitsu (II), Hisamitsu, Yohimitsu, Tadamitsu, Norimitsu, and some of the Later Bizen class.
Later Takata class, Later Seki class, Later Namikira class.

Great Gunome, nie.

Artists: Nobukuni.
Later Shizu class Kanesada (I), Kanesada (II), Seki.
Iwami class Nio, Ichijo, Tatsufusa.

Great Gunome midare, some nie.

Artists: Muramasa, Kaifu, Jumyo, Kanesada.

Small Gunome midare.

Yamato Class—Artists: Kaneuji, Shirikake, Tenkai. Kuniyoshi, Kunimura, Rai Kuuitoshi, Yasuyoshi, Yoshisada, Tamitsugu, Iwuri works, Takata, Kai mihara, Kunitsugu.

Gunome midare, with a slight tendency towards notare, and nie, and has deep 'nioi,' and sunagashi.

Artists: Kaneshige, Daneyuki. Later Shizu class, Naoye, Senjuin, Hirotsugu.

Small midare edge.

Kyo Class—Artists: Munechika, Yoshiiye, Arikuni, Ryohai.
Old Bizen Class—Artists: Ichimoji, Nagamitsu, Unji, Unsho, Unju, Yasutsuna, Jitsua, Miike, Yoshii class.

Choji edge and Choji midare, with a deep 'nioi,' and in the Kyo class heavy nie.

Kyo Class—Artists: Kikuzukuri, Yoshiiye, Sadayoshi, Kunitsuna, Kuniyasu, Kanenaga, Rai Kuniyuki, Kunitoshi, Kunimitsu.
Bizen Class—Artists: Sukehane. Yoshikanc, Nobufusa, Tomonari, Masatsune, Mitsutada, Nagamitsu, Moriiye, Saneuaga, Sanemori, Norinaga, Yasumori, Sukemuue, Sukenari, Muneyoshi. Nobufusa I and II, Nobumasa, Yoshifusa, Sukezane, Yoshimune, Yoshimochi, Yoshiiye, Yoshihira, Sanetosbi, Norifusa, Yoshimoto, Kunimune, aud Ichimoji class in Fukunoka and Yoshioki, etc. Sanemori, Hoshoji, Masamune.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE STRUCTURE - SHORT SWORD.

Straight make.

Artists: Yoshimitsu, Kuniyoshi, Kunitomo, Norikuni, Munechika, Rai Kunitoshi, Rai Kunitsugu, Mitsukane, Ryohoi, Nobukuui, Tayema. Hoshogoro, Shirikake, Tenkai, Moriiye, Kagemitsu, Kagemasa, Yoshimitsu, Unji, Shintogo, Yoshimitsu, Masamune, Yoshihiro, Norishige, Shinsoku, Kongobyoye, Miike, Enju, Hoshoji, Kageuaga, Sadasuye. Akikuni, Iruka, Kaifu.

Bent make.

Artists: Tomokuni, Heianjo class, Hasebe, Kanenaga, Nakajima Rai, Kanemitsu, Nagayoshi, Tomomitsu, Masamitsu, Motomitsu, Motomasa, Unju, Sa, Yasukiehi, Kunihiro. Kunisuke, Kunitsuna, Sadamune, Hiromitsu, Sanekage, Tametsugu. Iwami class.

Mixed work.

Artists: Hisakuni. Rai Kunimitsu. Ranenji, Sairen, Yukihira, Takata, Shizu. Kaneshige, Motoshige, Yoshii class, Aoye, Mihara, Ichijo, Tatsufusa, Shimada, Hoju, Getsusan, Doei, Fuyuhiro, Utsu, Fujishima, Nobunaga, Nio, Namihira.

Longer plain make.

Artists: Sadamune, Nobukuni, Hasebe, Rai Kunitsugu, Sa Yasuyoshi, Shimada, Later Sagami class.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE NAKAGO.

Crosswise file and angular head.

Artists: Yoshihiro. Norishige, Yukimitsu, Sadamune, Nio, Tatsufusa, Kongobyoye, Shirikake, Fuyishima, Nobunaga, Sadamune.

Crosswise file and round head.

Artists: Yoshimitsu, Kuniyoshi, Norikuni, Munechika, Yoshiiye Kaneiye, Rai Kuniyuki, Kumtoshi, Rai Kunitoshi. Rai Kunimitsu, Rai Kunitsugu, Tomokuni, Ryohai, Heianjo class, Hasebe, Nakajima Rai Tomonari. Sukehira, Kanehira. Nobufusa I and II, Muneyoshi, Yoshikane, Kanetoshi, Kaneuji, Later Senyuin, Shintogo, Hiromitsu. Akihiro, Shizu, Kaneshige, Seki, Norishige, Utsu, Hoshoji. Sa Kunihiro, Oishi work, Miike, Akikuni, Yasutsuna, Enju, Shinsoku, Takata, Tsunetsugu, Mikara, Ichijo, Namihira, Kagashiro, Fuyuhiro, Hoju, Getsusan, Iruka, Kunitsugu, Shimada.

Crosswise oblique file and round head.

Artists: Kunitomo, Kunitsuna, Arikuni, Kanenaga, Nobukuni, Hirazane. Masatsune, Muneyoshi, Sukezane, Yoshikaue, Unsho, Sadamune, Miike, Masatsune, Norinaga, Kamihara, Kanenji, Yametsugu, Seki, Kaifu, Kaskashiro, Tayema, Later Shirikako, Fuyishima. Iwami class.

Oblique file and angular head.

Artists: Masamune, Sadamune, Sukesado, Iwami class.

Oblique file and round head.

Artists: Munechika, Hisakuni, Mitsukane, Dakuma, Tomonari, Sukekane, Nobufusa, Chikakane,Norimune,Sukemune, Muneyoshi,Nobufusa I and II, Yoshiie, Yoshihira. Koresuke, Sukekane, Sukeyoshi, Sukemitsu, Mitsutada. Moriie, Sanemori, Nagamitsu, Kagemitsu, Kanemitsu, Nagayoshi, Yoshimitsu, Tomomitsu. Sanenaga, Hidemitsu, Moromitsu, Masamitsu, Motomitsu, Motomasa, Kagemasa, Motoshige, Chikakage, Shigezane, Morikage, Kageyasu, Sukekuni, Yoshii class, Kunimune, Sadahide. Yukihira, Ohara Sanemoni, Norinaga. Later Miike.